NGT gives three months’ time to decide about carcass plant; Cabinet sub-committee formed

Ludhiana, August 20

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The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has given three months’ time to the Municipal Corporation and the district administration to decide about the future of the carcass plant located at Rasulpur village, Noorpur Bet. A Cabinet sub-committee has also been formed for the same.

Today was the hearing in the NGT regarding the plant. The next hearing is scheduled for November 29 and before that the MC and the administration have to give their final decision about the plant. The three-member sub-committee will now look into the matter to reach upon final conclusion.

MC Commissioner Sandeep Rishi said they were looking for an alternative location and have even visited the industrial hub near Ladhowal where the Punjab Agro Department has about 200 acres. Besides, the dump site on Tajpur Road was another option. The final decision would now be taken by the committee formed by the NGT.

Rishi said they had made numerous attempts to start the carcass plant but every time, they faced opposition from villagers.

It is the third such plant in the country after Delhi and Jodhpur. While the NGT is pressing upon the MC and the administration to start the plant, they are in a difficult situation due to opposition from the residents.

The plant was constructed at a cost of around Rs 7.98 crore under Smart City Project and was supposed to be inaugurated in July 2021 but faced opposition from the residents. However, on January 15 this year, the MC, with the support of administration and police officials, managed to make the plant operational but again faced opposition from the villagers.

The plant will help in disposing off/processing cattle carcass to create poultry feed supplements and fertilisers.

Balbir Singh, ex-sarpanch of Rasulpur village, said they won’t allow the carcass plant to open here as it poses serious health hazards. “We visited the Jodhpur plant and people staying even 6 km away from it were suffering, though it is a much smaller plant,” he said. It is vital to get the plant operational as the illegal “hadda-rodi” (carcass disposal point) functional on the banks of the Sutlej was polluting the river and had to be closed.